Carlisle Utd boss on Southend clash and the Blues' attack and midfield

The Blues today (kick-off 1pm) face a visiting side who made an even worse start to the League Two season than the Cumbrians.

While Carlisle were losing 3-0 at Cambridge, the Shrimpers were being turned over 4-0 at home by Harrogate Town.

Southend boss Mark Molesley has since added two new players to his quad in the shape of ex-Barnet striker Simeon Akinola and former Roots Hall favourite Alan McCormack.

Beech, though, said: “What I do know is that whoever they sign, or whatever they do, we just have to look after ourselves.”

The visitors were this week given until late October to pay a debt of nearly £500,000 to HMRC.

Beech said that, whatever the off-field situation, he expects this afternoon's opposition to be fired up after their hiding last Saturday.

“They’ll be energised, trying their best to get direction themselves,” United’s boss said.

“Their club’s under more pressure than ours in terms of finance. You read and listen about a possible debt that they have to try and recover; they’ve been given October, I think, until they have to deal with that.

“Those things generally change anyway, in time – they get extended time or different things happen.

“In terms of a football team – they’re professional football players that have been hurt last week, I imagine they’ve been working very hard to respond to that.”

Beech wants Carlisle to produce a winning display in front of the 1,000 home fans who will be allowed to watch the game as part of an EFL test event.

He added: “It’s a great feeling, especially being able to share it with our supporters.

“I want to make sure we’re in that position and to do that we need to play well.”

Beech says he wants to see maximum "cohesion" from his attacking players.

He fielded Gime Toure, Omari Patrick and Joshua Kayode in attack last week, while Gavin Reilly and new boy Ethan Walker are among his other options.

The United boss said: "We've looked at cohesion and how they can work together. If they’re not at it, 100 per cent there’s other options.

"Gavin Reilly’s a threat in the box and we’ve got to try and get him in that area more often.

"He’s very harsh on himself. He should have a couple of goals to his name already and he knows that - against Fleetwood, the Oldham header...he’s disappointed in himself.

"It’s amazing what a goal can do, especially when the lads are fighting. I’ve been pleased with the energy they've given; they just didn't have the required connection or opportunity to score the goal.

"There are other players now. It was important to recruit Ethan who’s got strength and pace, an ambition to do very well, make a mark here and try to go back to Preston where he has great value. There’s other players behind that as well. There’s many options for us to score goals."

Beech says Rotherham loan man Kayode will have learned from a tough afternoon at Cambridge.

"I think JJ learned a few lessons from being a bit schooled from older centre-halves," the United boss said.

"I had a good chat with him about it, and he understands what he can do to try and affect that the next time it happens."  

Beech also said United's midfield, which includes the continued use of former centre-half Jon Mellish in the middle of the park, needs to "find its feet" amid claims from fans that Carlisle need more creativity.

He said: "Of course Dean Furman didn’t play [at Cambridge], who I think will bring it together a bit better.

"You have the choice of playing a deep midfielder or more of an attacking, creative player. We played Lewis Alessandra for that reason, to give that creativity.

"A massive debate’s about Jon - what I do know from a physical statistic is he ran further and won more ball than any other Carlisle player at Cambridge.

"In a game like that, I’m not too sure anybody creative would have stood out in that – it was basically Cambridge bombs whacking our centre-halves and really quick, hectic play in that tight area to be able to get your foot on the ball. If you did you were gonna get smashed.

"Jon and Callum Guy were competing and established a bit of ascendancy, but had no composure at that point because we were chasing the game. It brings an anxiety on decisions or passes. I think if the boys just chill out a little bit, everything will be fine."

Beech says experienced Furman will enhance United's midfield capabilities.

He added: "He’s been there, seen it, done it. That’s part of why we looked to recruit him. He’s come in on a positive wave.

"You’re not asking somebody to try and do it, may have been here quite a while, had his wages reduced and gets asked to run twice as hard. It’s different.

"I was impressed when he came in with how Dean supported other players off the pitch. What you’d look at for an older player to do, he just naturally does it, he can’t help himself.

"Even if it’s to the demise of himself not playing. He’s that sort of character. That’s why we’ve taken him on."